Bats Breakout for Two Wins Against Palm Beach

Leesburg, Fla. – The Lake-Sumter State College softball team went 2-2 over the weekend.

St. Pete College came up to Leesburg for a double-header on Friday. The Titans were able to take game one after a big seven run fourth inning by a final score of 14-6.

Brittany Shirley continued her solid start going 3 for 4 at the plate with three runs scored. Nicole Smith was 2 for 4 with a double and one RBI. Cissy Doolittle was tagged with the loss in game one.

Game two had the Lakehawks out in front early in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single by Smith to score Emily Kolwicz. St. Pete took back the lead in the third with three runs of their own. LSSC managed one run in the fourth and another in the sixth to tie it up at 3-3. SPC brought around three runs in the top of the seventh and held the lead for the 6-3 victory.

Smith added two more hits to her season total as well as her third home run of the season. Genesis Aviles was 2 for 3 with a triple and an RBI. Kayla Reichardt went six innings and took the loss in the circle.

The Lakehawks hosted Palm Beach State Saturday for a twin bill. Game one was a slugfest! Both teams combined for 18 runs on 24 hits in seven innings. With her team trailing 8-7 in the bottom of the seventh, Bailee Sims came to the plate. Katie Johnson was on second, representing the tying run while Alyssa Woolums stood on first as the winning run. Sims hammered a 1-1 pitch over the left centerfield wall for the walk-off victory, 10-8.

For Sims, it was her first collegiate home run. Kierstyn Kohlmaier had a solid game at the plate going 3 for 3 with a double and two RBI's. Jennifer Bryant, Casey Allen and Kolwicz all had two hits each. Reichardt was the winning pitcher in the first game.

After trailing 4-0 going into the bottom of the first inning in game two, the Lakehawks answered back with six runs. They went on to add six more while relief pitcher, Sarah Grindrod did not allow another run to score. Ending the game in five innings.

LSSC totaled 16 hits in the 12-4 victory. Kohlmaier and Woolums drove their first home runs of the season over the fence while Aviles hit her third and added four RBI's to her season total. Smith went 3 for 3 with a double alongside five other Lakehawks who had two hit performances. Grindrod garnered her second win of the season from the circle.

Lake-Sumter (6-4) will head to Pasco-Hernando State College (2-0) for two games on Tuesday. Game one is slated to begin at 2 pm.

Below is the video of the walk-off home run from game one.

(Courtesy Betsy Billings)